Little Uncertainties
by rainbow-leaves
Summary: Fifth in the "Crystal Dreams" universe.  How does one deal with doubts?
1. Chapter 1

Little Uncertainties

_Hello,_

_I have to apologize. My job is at it's busiest at the moment so I will not be able to update as quickly like I did with my first few stories. Please be a little patient with me, but I didn't want any readers thinking that I was not planning on continuing the story of the Triad. I do promised that I will not drag this out for months so just give me a little time._

_For new readers, this is the fifth story in the "Crystal Dreams" universe. This is part of a series and really needs to be read after the first four stories to make any sense._

_Yours truly,_

_rainbow-leaves _

Please do not post my work on other sites. Plagiarizing is wrong.

I do not own any rights to any characters. Ever. Damn.

Prelude

Royal guards were always a regular site to see in Canterlot. The guards roamed across the royal grounds, the castle interior, and did regular patrols throughout the city. You would have thought that there would be no possible way for anything to sneak into the Royal Garden, but one such intruder did. He stealthily crept from one hiding spot to another using the shadows as cover. The intruder examined each statue in the garden until he found the one he sought.

"I will avenge you," the stranger whispered as he gazed up at the statue, "I will make the ponies that did this to you pay!"

Sounds from behind made the intruder scuttle behind another, nearby statue. A passing guard paused in his surveillance. The stallion had thought he had seen something move, but after several moments of continued peace the guard moved on in his patrol.

"I will not have to wait in the shadows for long," the intruder hissed as he crept away from the garden, "Just you wait and see ponies."

Chapter 1

An in-uniform Rapidfire peaked out from behind the curtain to get a feel for the crowd. The Wonderbolts were just about to put on their new show. The whole team had been very grateful that both of their co-captains were back in action. Spitfire had had to take a medical leave of absence because of her accident caused by an inept paparazzi and then another leave to deal with depression. The new show wouldn't have been the same without her.

"I'm so glad that everything seems to be going well for Spitfire and the rest of the Triad now," Rapidfire thought as he watched and listened to the crowd, "I am also happy that Princess Celestia made a royal decree that any reporters or paparazzi must stay within the stands and not around the performance skies."

The stallion froze when he noticed something outside and began to laugh out loud.

"What's so funny?" a voice said from behind Rapidfire making the stallion gasp and spin around to see Spitfire and Soarin' with the rest of the team.

"Our 'cheerleader' is back," Rapidfire giggled as he pointed a hoof towards the crowd that filled The Wonderbolts' stadium.

The team all peaked outside and burst into laughter. Rainbow Dash was down in the front of the crowd leading all the ponies in the stands in Wonderbolt cheers. The team could hear the cyan Pegasus all the way to the backstage and were greatly amused by The Wonderbolts jersey she was wearing.

"_The Wonderbolts are the best!_

_They can pass any test!  
>They are awesome day or night!<em>

_Don't you want to see their flight?  
>Yell for the team that gives you jolts!<br>Come on ponies yell for The Wonderbolts!_

_Yeah!"_

The crowd answered the rainbow-maned pony with a large cheer and then joined Rainbow Dash in repeating the verse before breaking into "The Wave" that ran around the stadium; which just so happened was being orchestrated by the young mare. The whole Wonderbolt team felt a thrill roll through them when the crowd, led by their unofficial cheerleader, began chanting over and over again.

"_You've got to rock with the gold and roll with the blue!_

_Hey Wonderbolts!_

_You know what you've got to do!_

_You've got to rock with the gold and roll with the blue!"_

"Aw!" Soarin' cooed as he avidly watched his youngest life mate in action, "Baby is so _cute_."

"That she is," Spitfire chuckled out as she rolled her amber eyes, "Rainbow Dash certainly has a way with the crowd. She'll be quite a show-mare one day."

"If you can rein in that ego," Fleetfoot added before stepping back in surprise when her two co-captains whirled around on her.

"Baby, is young," Soarin' defended angrily as his golden life mate glared at their teammate, "She _does_ have a little too much confidence, but most of that is just a shield to hide her insecurities. Watch your mouth!"

"Everypony on this team has had moments that their egos needed to be reined in, Fleetfoot," Spitfire stiffly explained, "Don't judge our life mate before Rainbow Dash has even had a chance to fully mature yet. There is a lot more to that little filly than you think there is."

"Hold up. Hold up," Rapidfire interrupted as he stepped in front of the smaller mare, "Leave Fleety alone."

"Calm down," Lightning Streak gently ordered as he cantered over, "You know Fleetfoot really likes Rainbow Dash. I don't think she meant anything bad."

"I didn't! Really," Fleetfoot interjected as she waved a calming hoof at her co-captains, "I just meant that she has great confidence in herself and takes on too much too fast sometimes. Just like when she tried your trick last month and ended up having to stay in the hospital, but at least you two said that convinced her that reading was good."

Soarin' and Spitfire looked at one another and gave their teammates sheepish smiles.

"Sorry, Fleet," Soarin' offered making the smaller mare smile brightly at the stallion, "It's just that Baby is very special to Spitfire and I and we don't like it when ponies misunderstand her. Baby is really a very kind and resourceful little pony, but we do understand what you mean. Rainbow Dash does act a bit rash at times, but you have got to admit that she has improved a lot since you all got to know her."

"Absolutely," Ice Wind agreed as she came over to join the conversation, "Rainbow Dash has certainly made things very interesting around here, but don't you think we need to get to opening positions. It's almost time for the show to begin."

The Wonderbolts all looked at one another with panicked eyes when they realized that Ice Wind was correct and quickly formed ranks. Spitfire stood next to Soarin' and grinned happily at him. It was great to be performing again. The opening notes of the introduction music began to play and the show began.

Rainbow Dash watched the show eagerly. No matter how many times she saw a Wonderbolt's show it never left her without the giddy excitement that fluttered in her chest and stomach.

"One day…" Rainbow Dash thought to herself as she watched her life mates perform their double act, "One day I'll fly with The Wonderbolts too. I can't wait!"

The cyan Pegasus screamed the loudest after the breathtaking show ended. Spitfire had really outdone herself on her choreography this year. Rainbow Dash impatiently waited her turn to fly out of the stadium. That was the problem with having a front row seat. A pony got to see the show first hand, but got to leave dead last. Finally, the young mare was able to get out of the stand area of the stadium and was just about to head towards the door to the backstage area when a voice drew her up short.

"Hey, Rainbow Dash!"

The rainbow-maned pony turned to see her friend Derpy trot up with four other Pegasi.

"Hi, Derpy," Rainbow Dash greeted as she eyed the other ponies curiously.

"These are some friends of mine," the grey mare said as she gestured to the three mares and a stallion, "The pink mare with a white mane is Cherry Blossom, the beige mare with the black mane is Coffee Cake, the orange mare with the pink mane is Setting Sun, and the navy stallion with the red mane is Jet Flight. Everypony this is my friend, Rainbow Dash."

"Hi," the cyan Pegasus drawled, "It is nice to meet you."

"Old Derp has told all of us a lot about you," Jet Flight remarked and then staggered back when Derpy playfully punched him on the side making the rest of the mares laugh as the stallion made a funny face.

"Serves you right. You know that Derpy doesn't like to be called 'Derp,'" Coffee Cake giggled out before turning to the rainbow-maned pony, "We saw you leading the cheers down front. So you must really like The Wonderbolts?"

"Like The Wonderbolts? I _love_ The Wonderbolts!" Rainbow Dash crowed, "I'm their biggest fan. I so can't wait until I get old enough to try-out."

"Same here!" Setting Sun and Jet Flight chorused before turning to one another and laughing.

The cyan Pegasus perked up in interest. She had never really been able to hang out with any other Pegasi that had been interested in trying out for The Wonderbolts before.

"What about you two?" Rainbow Dash asked Coffee Cake and Cherry Blossom, "Do you two want to be Wonderbolts too?"

"Oh, not at all," Cherry Blossom denied with a soft voice as Coffee Cake shook her head in agreement, "But Coffee and I do so love watching the team. The shows are wonderful. Spitfire and Soarin' are probably the best captains The Wonderbolts have ever had."

Rainbow Dash swelled in pride at the compliment to her two life mates. She so wanted to brag about her bonded, but the cyan Pegasus kept her mouth shut like Spitfire and Soarin' instructed her to do. The young mare really liked these new ponies and before long the whole group was chattering about what it would be like to be a part of a flight team like The Wonderbolts.

"I can't wait to wear the uniform one day if I make the team," Setting Sun gushed as she stared dreamily off into the distance.

"Well, I know that I'll _wear_ the uniform one day," Jet Flight bragged with a playful smile, "I'm the best flyer there is."

"No you're not," Derpy piped up, "Rainbow Dash is the best flyer. She has done a sonic rainboom twice _and_ won The Best Young Flyers Competition. You are all looking at a future Wonderbolt."

Rainbow Dash blushed when the ponies all turned to give her a look of awe. The cyan Pegasus grinned cheerfully and was about to say something when a voice interrupted what she was about to say.

"Of course Rainbow _Crash_ will be a Wonderbolt."

The whole group looked up and saw three stallions heading their way. Rainbow Dash groaned as her filly-hood, tormentors Dumb-Bell, Hoops, and Score cantered up to the group.

"Oh, go away," the cyan Pegasus whined as she turned her back on the three, "This is a 'A-B' conversation so 'C' you later."

"Whatever, Rainbow Crash," Dumb Bell growled out before turning to the rest of the group, "This mare will absolutely be a Wonderbolt one day. Do you want to know why?"

"Why?" Setting Sun asked as the rest of the group looked curious while Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes angrily at the three stallions.

"You're looking at the life mate of Soarin'," Hoops spat in disgust, "Rainbow Crash is going to be a Wonderbolt just because she gets special treatment."

"Wha?" the cyan Pegasus sputtered as the rest of the group except for Derpy looked at her with shock, "How did you….when did you…That's none of your business who my life mate is! Plus, Soarin' would never give me preferential treatment. He already told me that I'm not ready to be a Wonderbolt yet."

"You _are_ the life mate of Soarin'? Soarin' of The Wonderbolts?" Jet Flight gasped as he backed away, "For how long?"

"Jet Flight!" Cherry Blossom reprimanded, "That's not our business."

"Well, maybe it is," the blue stallion snapped as Dumb-Bell, Hoops, and Score grinned happily at one another, "That's not fair that Rainbow Dash has a leg-in already. Maybe she even cheated at The Best Young Flyer's competition. You know that The Wonderbolts' were the judges, right?"

"I did not!" Rainbow Dash denied as she saw to her horror that the three mares were now starting to glare at her as well, "Soarin' and I didn't bond until months later and I am _not_ assured a spot on the team. I promise."

"Stop it," Derpy ordered her friends as she came to stand beside the cyan Pegasus, "Rainbow Dash is a great pony. She is an Element of Harmony and everything. Don't let these three Meanies make you think badly of her."

'I'm sorry Derpy, but this just isn't fair," Setting Sun groused, "I am not interested in being friends with a cheater."

Rainbow Dash watched sadly as the four ponies took flight as fast as they could in the opposite direction.

"Let me talk to them," Derpy said as she patted the cyan Pegasus on her back, "Jet Stream and Setting Sun just have a bad temper. I'll get them to come around."

Rainbow Dash watched as the grey Pegasus took off after her four friends. The rainbow-maned pony whirled on the three stallions that were laughing hysterically behind her.

"How dare you!" Rainbow Dash spat, "That was totally un-cool. Why would you spread lies like this? How did you even know about Soarin' and I?"

"My cousin was at the Hearth's Warming Ball and witnessed your little interaction with that Brit-trot-onia Lord," Dumb-Bell chortled out, "Must be real nice to know that you don't have to work hard to be a Wonderbolt, Rainbow Crash."

"Yeah," Hoops agreed as he bro-hoofed with Score, "Loser!"

"Excuse me? What did you just say?" a voice said from behind the three stallions.

To be continued…


	2. Chapter 2

Little Uncertainties

Please do not post my work on other sites. Plagiarizing is wrong.

I do not own any rights to any characters. Ever. Damn.

Chapter 2

Rainbow Dash watched sadly as the four ponies that she had really started to like took flight as fast as they could in the opposite direction away from her all thanks to Dumb-Bell, Hoops, and Score trying to cause trouble for her _again_.

"Let me talk to them," Derpy said as she patted the cyan Pegasus on her back, "Jet Stream and Setting Sun just have a bad temper. I'll get them to come around."

Rainbow Dash watched as the grey Pegasus took off after her four friends. The rainbow-maned pony whirled on the three stallions that were laughing hysterically behind her.

"How dare you!" Rainbow Dash spat, "That was totally un-cool. Why would you spread lies like this? How do you even know about Soarin' and I?"

"My cousin was at the Hearth's Warming Ball and witnessed your little interaction with that Brit-trot-onian Lord," Dumb-Bell chortled out, "Must be real nice to know that you don't have to work hard to be a Wonderbolt, Rainbow Crash."

"Yeah," Hoops agreed as he bro-hoofed with Score, "Loser!"

"Excuse me? What did you just say?" a voice said from behind the three stallions as Rainbow Dash's eyes widened.

The young stallions turned and then gasped in disbelief when they saw Soarin' standing before them still in his uniform. The larger stallion drew himself up to his full height and looked down on Dumb-Bell, Hoops, and Score with angry, chilling eyes. "Did you just call my life mate a 'loser' just now?" the Wonderbolt growled out as he advanced on the awestruck stallions, "Well?"

"Um…uh…well," Hoops stuttered out as his two friends cowered behind him, "We weren't doing nothing."

"I know who you three are and exactly what you were doing. Back off!" Soarin' demanded as he placed himself between his youngest life mate and the three idiots, "My life mate is not a 'loser' nor is her name 'Rainbow Crash.' You three got that? Now get out of here before I have all of you permanently banned from all Wonderbolt shows for the rest of your lives!"

Rainbow Dash watched as Dumb-Bell, Hoops, and Score took off like their hooves were on fire. Irritation rose up in the mare as she hung her head down.

"Baby, are you okay?" Soarin' asked in concern as he trotted over, "Did they touch you? Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine," the cyan Pegasus replied grumpily as she looked away, "I didn't need your _help_. I could have dealt with them myself."

The stallion stepped back in surprise and a little hurt. It was not until Soarin' felt some of his youngest life mate's emotions leaking through their bond did he understand. Rainbow Dash was embarrassed and upset.

"I'm sorry that I jumped in like that," Soarin' apologized as he pulled the filly close and nuzzled her, "I have no doubts that you could have handled those three just fine, but you know me. I can't stand when I hear anypony insulting my life mates and I just…um…react."

Rainbow Dash smiled up at her life mate. Soarin' was right. He would always be the same over-protective stallion no matter the situation.

"I know," the rainbow-maned filly sighed before turning remorseful eyes on her life mate, "I'm sorry Soarin'. I…I shouldn't have snapped at you like that."

"It's okay, Baby," Soarin' acknowledged as he rubbed noses with the filly, "We all get upset about things sometimes and I know that you must be frustrated that those three just won't leave you alone."

The two life mates looked up when they heard somepony call their names. Spitfire was hurrying over to the two with a concerned look on her face.

"What's going on?" the golden mare asked as she cantered over, "Why do I sense that the two of you were upset?"

Rainbow Dash and Soarin' smiled at Spitfire and went to her side to nuzzle the golden Pegasus to reassure her.

"The three stooge-stallions showed up," the cyan Pegasus explained as Spitfire cuddled her close, "Hoops, Dumb-Bell, and Score were being mean again and Soarin' made them stop. Then I was all embarrassed and acted ugly to Soarin'."

"It wasn't Baby's fault," the stallion immediately defended, "I kind of jumped in before letting Baby even have a chance to deal with the situation. You know me."

"Bonded stallions," Spitfire and Rainbow Dash echoed as they playfully rolled their eyes at their life mate.

"Still I don't like the idea that three stallions are gaining up on one pony at a Wonderbolts' show," Spitfire stated with a touch of anger, "I am going to have to talk to Princess Celestia about having more security."

"What?" Rainbow Dash groaned out, "That will make the three stooge-stallions think that I'm being all protected or something."

The rainbow-maned mare frowned when she heard her two life mates chuckling. What was so funny?

"Little One," Spitfire gently explained as Soarin' leaned his neck over the cyan Pegasus' back to pull her closer, "It just so happens that you were the pony being bullied _this_ time, but it could be any other number of ponies next time. As the co-captains of The Wonderbolts, Soarin' and I have to assure the safety of our guests. I don't want this to happen again."

"Oh," the young filly breathed as she blushed.

"Let's go and say goodbye to the team," Soarin' encouraged as he pushed his youngest life mate towards the locker room, "Then we can go check out that new restaurant High Winds been talking about for dinner. Why don't we celebrate the opening of a new Wonderbolt season?"

Rainbow Dash perked up and allowed herself to be pulled into the locker room so that she could congratulate the team on a job well done. Spitfire sedately followed behind her two life mates. Calls of "RD" and "Rainbow Dash" filled the air as the team greeted their co-captains' youngest life mate.

"How was the show?" Rapidfire asked as he flitted over to his "adopted, little sister."

"So cool," Rainbow Dash gushed as she scampered over to her "older brother," "That was like one of the best Wonderbolts shows _ever_."

"Don't you _know_ it," Rapidfire bragged as he bumped hooves with the filly.

The rest of the team rolled their eyes and continued getting ready to leave as the two ponies began chatting over the finer details of the show. The Wonderbolts were used to Rainbow Dash's and Rapidfire's unique way of talking with one another. Finally, the Triad said their goodbyes and left to have dinner together. Rainbow Dash chatted happily with her life mates throughout the evening, but something felt off to the two older ponies.

Spitfire studied her youngest life mate carefully as she felt the swirl of emotions through her bond with the filly. The older mare knew that there was more going on with Rainbow Dash than she was letting on. Soarin' exchanged looks with Spitfire to let her know that he was picking up on this as well. The two older ponies knew the young filly backwards and forwards. Rainbow Dash would hold everything in until she was nearly full and then finally spill her guts when she was ready so the two Wonderbolts held their tongues and waited.

When the three got home, Rainbow Dash excused herself to go lie on the Triad's bed alone. The cyan Pegasus stared up at the ceiling and allowed the conversation with Derpy's friends to replay in her mind. Then she began to remember the looks of anger and apparent hatred that the four ponies sent her way towards the end. That hurt. That hurt _so_ bad to remember.

"Rainbow Dash?" Spitfire said as she came into the bedroom having finally had enough of waiting for the young mare to tell what was bothering her, "Little One, what's wrong? More happened today than Soarin' witnessed, didn't it?"

Rosy-hued eyes turned towards the golden Pegasus. Spitfire winced at the conflicted emotions in her youngest life mate's eyes.

"Tell me what happed," the older mare gently ordered as she crawled up on the bed to sit beside the filly.

Rainbow Dash sat up and told her life mate the full story. The young mare described her happiness at meeting new friends and then how upset she was that these same new friends turned so quickly on her. She reluctantly told the golden mare about how Dumb-Bell, Hoops, and Score had basically accused her of using her bond with her life mates to get into The Wonderbolts.

"Setting Sun and Jet Flight called me a 'cheater,'" Rainbow Dash mournfully whispered, "Jet Flight even said that is why I won The Best Young Flyers competition. I…I tried to tell him that wasn't true, but they were all so angry at me and they wouldn't listen."

"Oh, Rainbow Dash," Spitfire breathed as she pulled the younger mare into a hug, "I am so sorry you had to go through that, but there is something we need to talk about. You _are_ the life mate of two Wonderbolts. Ponies are going to accuse you of special treatment a lot just because of who Soarin' and I are. Unfortunately, that is one of the downsides to being famous. A pony's fame can affect his or her family and friends."

"But why do ponies always assume the negative?" Rainbow Dash lamented.

"Because a lot of ponies want to believe that something besides hard work got another pony places in life," Spitfire gently explained, "Hay! I even tried to accuse Soarin' of getting into The Wonderbolts because of his parents. I was young and stupid. It was wrong for me to do that."

"But he _forgave_ you," Rainbow Dash said, "I'm not sure if Derpy's friends, or any other ponies that say the same thing, will even hear me out."

"I can bring fire and brimstone down on all of their heads for you, Baby," a voice said from the doorway as Soarin' came into the room.

"Soarin'!" Rainbow Dash giggled with a smile as the stallion tackled both of his mares on the bed, "You'd get into trouble. You can't do that."

"I can if they hurt my life mates," Soarin' playfully growled before turning serious again and sitting back up with his two bonded, "We all knew that eventually word would get out about the Triad. Baby, Spitfire is correct in what she is saying. You are going to have to be very strong from here on out."

"Strong? I'm strong," the cyan Pegasus boasted as she flexed her muscles, "I'm also lean _and_ mean."

"That's right," the stallion chuckled out as he and Spitfire exchanged amused looks, "Ponies are going to try to tear you down throughout your life. Baby, you have to be confident within yourself to be able to withstand what others will say about you. Keep your head up and don't allow their words to bother you."

"Okay!" Rainbow Dash cheered as she jumped off the bed and struck a pose, "I'll show everypony. When I win the next Best Young Flyers competition then they'll know that I've got what it takes to earn a spot in The Wonderbolts. Ha!"

The rainbow-maned pony ground to halt when she saw her life mates blanch. Rainbow Dash knew immediately that something wasn't right.

"What?" the filly inquired in bewilderment.

"Little One, you _can't_ enter the next Best Young Flyers competition this year," Spitfire stated with remorseful eyes.

"Why?" Rainbow Dash demanded as she looked between the two older ponies.

"Because The Wonderbolts always judge," Soarin' added as he pulled his forlorn, little mare closer, "It wouldn't be fair for you to participate since you are our life mate, but all of Equestria already knows what a great flyer you are, right?"

"Right!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed as she perked back up again.

"Soarin' and I will train with you even more than the three of us already train," Spitfire continued, "That way when it is time for try-outs, your talent alone cannot be questioned. How does that sound?"

"Awesome," the filly answered as she grinned at her two life mates, "I'll show everypony that I rock!"

The Triad settled down and simply enjoyed one another's company while in another part of Equestria a different conversation was taking place. The weird thing was that the conversation was taking place between one individual that was hidden away in the Everfree Forest.

"So we know their names now!"

"What names?"

"The names of the ponies that took him away from us."

"We do? Tell me!"

"They are the Elements of Harmony. Twilight Sparkle is the Element of Magic, Applejack is the Element of Honesty, Rarity is the Element of Generosity, Fluttershy is the Element of Kindness, Pinkie Pie is the Element of Laughter, and Rainbow Dash is the Element of Loyalty. They all live in Ponyville."

"Ponyville?"

"Yes, Ponyville."

"Isn't that kind of a cliché name for a town made up of ponies?"

"Shut up!"

"You, shut up!"

"Bite me!"

"I'd be biting you, idiot."

"Quiet! I am trying to think up a plan. Those ponies will rue the day that they ever took him away from us."

"That's right!"

"Shut up!"

"You, shut up!"

"I am _trying_ to think here."

"You do realize that you are talking to yourself, right?"

"Shut up!"

"Oh, boy."

To be continued…


	3. Chapter 3

Little Uncertainties

_Hi,_

_Things are really going crazy on my side of the forest so thank you for being patient with me. A reviewer made a comment that I feel that I need to address. He/She feels that Soarin' and Spitfire treat Rainbow Dash as more of a daughter than a life mate. To a point that is the truth and something that I purposely wrote into my stories. I know that I have previously said that Soarin' and Spitfire are helping our Rainbow Dash mature and grow. The two older ponies love her as a life mate, but have stepped up into a kind of parental role as well. _

_I wrote the Triad as a kind of wolf pack. Spitfire is the Alpha that leads the pack and Soarin' is a Beta that keeps things smoothly working. Rainbow Dash is a growing Alpha that is being taught how to be her own pony. In the story I am writing now we will see her begin to hold her own and move into a much more mature mare within the Triad while still keeping her RD qualities._

_I thank all readers/reviewers for your time and effort in reading/reviewing my series. It is always a pleasure to hear from all of you. I should be able to pop out a lot more chapters in the coming weeks. Peace and happiness to you all._

_Yours truly,_

_rainbow-leaves_

Please do not post my work on other sites. Plagiarizing is wrong.

I do not own any rights to any characters. Ever. Damn.

Chapter 3

A couple of days later Rainbow Dash bid goodbye to her two life mates as they took off towards Cloudsdale for another practice for The Wonderbolts' show that evening. The rainbow-maned mare waved until Soarin' and Spitfire were out of sight before taking off towards Ponyville. Rainbow Dash was meeting her friends at Sweet Apple Acres for a picnic brunch. The cyan Pegasus passed several Pegasi on her way and it wasn't too long before Rainbow Dash realized that she was getting strange looks. What was this all about? Was there food on her face or something like that?

"Is something the matter, Chocolate Blueberry?" Rainbow Dash inquired of the light blue and brown-maned mare who was staring her down.

"Oh! N..no." Chocolate Blueberry stammered nervously as she averted her eyes, "No. Nothing."

"Okay," the cyan Pegasus said as she passed the hovering mare, "See you later for weather duty."

Rainbow Dash continued and passed two more Pegasi that were giving her either curious or hostile looks. The rainbow-maned Pegasus was starting to get paranoid. She hated being stared at if she wasn't actually _trying_ to get stared at.

"What?" Rainbow Dash demanded of a purple, Pegasus stallion who was giving her a particularly hostile look, "You're Silver Script, right? What's your problem?"

"Who says I've got a problem?" Silver Script challenged staring the cyan Pegasus down.

"You're the one that's acting all hostile," Rainbow Dash challenged back as she hovered in front of the stallion, "You and I hardly talk. What's eating your hooves?"  
>"Maybe I just don't like the way you do things," Silver Script dryly quipped as he examined a front hoof.<p>

"What things?" Rainbow Dash asked in bewilderment.

Silver Script looked at the young mare in contempt before blowing his forelock out of his eyes and taking off. The rainbow-maned mare looked after him in puzzlement before shrugging her shoulder and heading back towards Sweet Apple Acres. Rainbow Dash noticed her friends in a clearing in the middle of one of Applejack's tree fields and lightly touched down. Her five, pony friends and one baby dragon looked up at her arrival.

"Hi, Rainbow Dash," Spike called in what sounded like a forced, cheerful voice to the cyan Pegasus.

"Hi, Spike. Hello, everypony," Rainbow Dash chirped as she trotted over, "I've been getting the strangest looks from ponies and had the weirdest conversation with Silver Script on the way here. I think a lot of ponies have been drinking crazy water today."

The rainbow-maned mare's friends all exchanged glances with one another. Rainbow Dash was immediately suspicious.

"What's up?" the cyan Pegasus demanded as her gaze hardened, "What is going on here? Spill."

"Well…" Fluttershy began looking uncomfortable, "…there has been a lot of rumors going around Ponyville and Cloudsdale. Not that we believe any of the rumors. We don't. Please don't think that any of us believe any of the rumors."

"What rumors?" Rainbow Dash asked in an annoyed voice since the shy pony wasn't getting to the point fast enough in her opinion.

"Now don't get ya tail inna twist," Applejack gently advised, "Someponies have been sayin' things tha just ain't true an we all know it."

"Like what?" the rainbow-maned mare demanded.

The group looked at one another again and fell silent. Rainbow Dash was getting mad and she began to paw irritably at the ground. Finally, Pinkie Pie broke the silence in a giant, rush of words.

"Don't get angry, Dashie," the pink pony begged, "Someponies have been saying that you have only won flying competitions because of being the life mate of Soarin' and Spitfire, but we all know that you are like the best flyer ever and I mean ever; like in for-ever. I mean, you have been awesome from before you ever met Soarin' and Spitfire so the rumors are not true at all. Yes, your life mates judged The Best Young Flyer competition, but you totally won that on your own and you weren't even their bonded then and you totally don't get special treatment or anything. I don't know what silly-filly or dolt-colt would even think of saying such a thing. You are _not_ a cheater. Well, except for a few times during the Iron Pony competition, but AJ really never _did_ say to not use your wings. Plus, your sonic rainbooms _were_ real and…"

"Wait, what?" Rainbow Dash interrupted with widened eyes, "Ponies actually said that my sonic rainbooms weren't real and that I was a cheater?"

"Calm down," Twilight advised as she cantered up beside her distraught friend, "Ponies talk nonsense all the time, Rainbow Dash. Don't worry about this. Why I remember a time when rumors spread around Canterlot that I was a teacher's pet to Princess Celestia."

"Twlight, you _are_ a teacher's pet to Princess Celestia," Rainbow Dash sniped angrily before hanging her head when she saw that she had hurt the lavender Unicorn's feelings, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't take my anger out on you, but this is all so frustratingly irritating."

"That's okay," Twilight assured as she sent a smile towards her friend, "But ponies gossip all the time and it is only a matter of time before you, I, or anyone of us have silly rumors spread about something or other."

"That's right, Darling," Rarity offered, "Don't you remember how everypony gossiped about me after that disastrous fashion show when I altered my original designs of your Gala dresses? Some of what was said was just plain hurtful."

"Yeah," Rainbow Dash agreed as she sank to her haunches, "I remember, but _mmph_…"

The cyan Pegasus couldn't finish her statement because Applejack had a hoof over her mouth. Rosy-hued eyes looked curiously at her golden-maned friend. Applejack face expressed a lot of conflicting emotions to Rainbow Dash.

"Stop," Applejack broke in, "Now listen here. Ah know what it's like ta have ponies talk nonsense about ya. Happened ta me and Big Macintosh when Ma and Pappy died. Hay! All of us here have had ponies make up lies about us. Don't ya worry about wha other ponies are sayin'. Ya know tha we all know tha truth and ya know tha all tha talk is just a bunch of horse apples, right?"

"Right," Rainbow Dash acknowledged with a firm nod as she allowed her anger to drain out of her body, "I'm not going to let some stupid gossip get me down. Let's enjoy our brunch."

Rainbow Dash's statement was met with a cheer and the seven friends settled down and enjoyed their time together. However, the rest of the day the cyan Pegasus was met with open hostility from a lot of ponies and was rather hurt when none of the weather mares wanted to team up with her for weather duty. Rainbow Dash remembered what her life mates and friends said and acted with as much dignity as she could muster to show that what ponies were saying was not hurting her. That evening the young mare bottled up her hurt feelings and tucked them far away in her mind so that her life mates wouldn't pick up on her troubles through their bond. Rainbow Dash wanted to deal with this on her own terms.

Days passed by slowly. The summer was the busiest season for The Wonderbolts. A bright, summer day was the perfect weather to see an aerial show. Rainbow Dash began seeing less and less of her two life mates. The rainbow-maned mare didn't mind so much since Soarin' and Spitfire made it a point to make the time the Triad had together something special. However, there was another reason that Rainbow Dash didn't mind that her two life mates weren't around. The rumors about her that were running through Equestria were getting worse and worse and she didn't want her two life mates to know what was going on.

"I can't believe this," Rainbow Dash groused to herself as she kicked clouds out of her way as she worked solo during her weather duties _again_, "I am the same pony I've always been. I have the same sleek body and the same flowing mane. I can fly circles around most Pegasi. I am awesome! So, why? Why is everypony turning on me so quickly. I only saved Equestria with my friends _twice_! My friends and I even have two, glass windows dedicated to us in Princess Celestia's castle. Ponies should treat me with more respect than this."

The cyan Pegasus settled down on the top of some clouds and stared gloomily out. A noise from beside her made the mare look up. A Pegasus had landed on the cloud. It was Derpy.

"Hi, Rainbow Dash," the grey mare greeted her friend.

"Hi," Rainbow Dash echoed.

"I…I tried to talk sense into my friends," Derpy sadly explained as she looked down, "I am so sorry and so embarrassed for their behavior. Cherry Blossom, Coffee Cake, Setting Sun, and Jet Flight have been friends of mine for a long time and they usually have better manners than this, but all four of them have been working with Dumb-Bell, Hoops, and Score in spreading these lies about you."

"I kind of figured," Rainbow Dash sighed out, "The three stooge-stallions have been trying to make my life miserable for a long time. I…I don't even know _why_. The four of us have always been like oil and water. We never mixed well together."

"But that doesn't mean that they have the right to spread such mean things about you. They are being cruel and unfair to you," Derpy complained making Rainbow Dash smile at having at least one other pony besides her other friends that believed in her, "I have always known that you are one of the best flyers in Equestria. I'm going to be your biggest fan when you are a Wonderbolt one day. Well…Scootaloo and I will be your biggest fans together, I suppose."

"Thanks, Derpy," the rainbow-maned Pegasus chortled, "I'm glad that you are one of my friends."

"So what are you going to do now?" Derpy asked, "How are you going to deal with all of this?"

"I would like to kick everyponies' flanks if I was being completely honest," Rainbow Dash confessed, "But I can't do something like that so I will just have to stay strong like Soarin' and Spitfire said. I have to just continue being me and let my flying skills speak for themselves."

The cyan Pegasus froze and then a smirk started on her face. Rainbow Dash grabbed Derpy in a hug and spun around excitedly.

"Speak for _themselves_!" Rainbow Dash crowed.

"What?" the grey mare asked as her golden eyes spun opposite of one another in her dizziness at having been spun, "What is going to speak for themselves?"

"My flying skills can speak for themselves. I'll start practicing my best moves where everypony can see me," Rainbow Dash gushed happily, "Then Equestria can see what an awesome Pegasus I really am! Nopony will say that I'm a cheater when they see what I can do. This is going to be great!"

Rainbow Dash took off so fast that the clouds disintegrated from the rainbow contrail. Derpy fell for a second before righting herself and taking off after her friend.

"Wait for me," the grey mare called after her friend.

Neither mares noticed the strange cloud that had been floating behind them. A set of eyes stared out from a small hole in the cloud.

"So that is Loyalty, hm?"

"Who is Loyalty?"

"The blue Pegasus. That was Rainbow Dash the Element of Loyalty."

"Oh! We should have said 'hello.'"

"No! Idiot. This was a fact-gathering mission."

"What was?"

"This was."

"What is this?"

"Our mission."

"What was our mission?"

"Idiot! Our mission was to find out the weaknesses of the Elements of Harmony."

"Oh."

"Now we know how to break the Element of Loyalty."

"We do?"

"Yes. This Rainbow Dash is having troubles with rumors. Her strength lies in her feelings of loyalty towards her friends and Equestria."  
>"So?"<p>

"What do you mean 'so', Dummy? This means that we know how to shake her loyalty."

"Really? How?"

"You are a moron. If we can 'assist' these rumors to continue to spread then more and more ponies will turn on Rainbow Dash."

"And?"

"And that means that she will begin to doubt in herself and eventually lead her to turn her back on Equestria. Without one of the Elements of Harmony the rest are useless."

"Then what?"

"Then we might be able to figure out a way to free him."

"Really? That would be so great and then…"

"Shut up! I'm talking here."

"You, shut up!"

"Silence!"

"You still realize that you are talking to yourself, right?"

"Shut up!"

"Oh, geez."

To be continued…


	4. Chapter 4

Little Uncertainties

Please do not post my work on other sites. Plagiarizing is wrong.

I do not own any rights to any characters. Ever. Damn.

Chapter 4

Rainbow Dash had dragged Derpy along to speak with all of her friends at Twilight's library with the exception of Spike who had been sent to the market to buy some more quills prior to the cyan Pegasus' arrival. The rainbow-maned filly explained how she was going to show the whole town what she could do. The reaction from her friends was not exactly what she had hoped for

_Flashback_

"Ah don't know, Sugar Cube," Applejack drawled uneasily, "Why do ya feel tha ya gots ta prove anythin' ta any pony anyhow? Ya know tha ya are a great flyer. Just leave it alone."

"What? Why?" Rainbow Dash demanded as Derpy nodded her head, "If I can prove to everypony that I can hold my own then maybe they will stop spreading all of these rumors about me. I'm sick of all the whispering behind my back. It's getting ridiculous!"

"I think it's a great idea!" Pinkie Pie cheered making the cyan Pegasus smile happily, "I love to watch Dashie fly and if other ponies are reminded of how good she is then they will stop spreading silly rumors."

"I agree, Darling," Rarity drawled as she primped in a mirror that she was magically hovering in front of herself, "I think showing your skills is a great idea. Isn't that what I had to do to show Hoity Toity that I truly was a fashionista?"

"Exactly!" Rainbow Dash crowed triumphantly.

"I'm not so sure that this is a good idea," Fluttershy gently said then she looked down when the rainbow-maned mare turned and glared at her.

"Fluttershy and Applejack are right," Twilight agreed as she ignored Rainbow Dash's pout, "I think that you will be concentrating so hard on impressing everypony that you will just get yourself hurt and land in the hospital again."

"What?" the cyan Pegasus gasped, "That was just an accident. Is that how little you think of my flying skills?"

"No. That's not what I'm saying," the lavender Unicorn defended, "I just want you to be safe. You don't need to prove anything to anypony."

"Well, obviously I do," Rainbow Dash sniped angrily, "I can't believe that you wouldn't have more faith in me. How long am I going to have to put up with ponies whispering behind my back, Twilight? Do you know how that makes me feel?"

"Well, I…" Twilight began.

"I don't want to hear it!" Rainbow Dash snapped, "I would defend any of you until the end, but have any of you even stood up for me besides Derpy, Pinkie Pie, or Rarity?"

Twilight, Fluttershy, and Applejack exchanged uneasy glances and looked down. The three ponies had really hoped that the gossip would simply die down on its own.

"Rainbow Dash, don't be too hard on them," Rarity urged, "Sometimes stepping into a situation only makes things worse. Remember that we are all trying to figure out how to help in the best way possible."

"That is why I need all of you tomorrow," Rainbow Dash said as she beckoned her friends closer.

_End of Flashback_

The next day Rainbow Dash put her plan into action. The cyan Pegasus finished her weather duties and then began practicing her flying moves right above town. She swirled through the air creating an intricate pattern with her rainbow contrail. Then the rainbow-maned filly began to spiral in great corkscrews down towards Ponyville, only to veer up at the last second. Unicorns, Earth ponies, and Pegasi alike were drawn by her loud whoops of happiness and watched from down below. The sight of Rainbow Dash's flying skills was breathtaking.

"Ha! Let them say that I can't fly now," Rainbow Dash gleefully thought as she burst into one barrel roll after another.

The young mare continued showing off as many tricks as she could muster and saw that her friends were placing themselves throughout the gathered crowd.

"Now it's all up to my friends," Rainbow Dash thought as she reined in her concentration to start on her more daring tricks.

Meanwhile, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Derpy, Twilight, Fluttershy, Applejack, and Spike were following through with the plan.

"Wow!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed in an overly loud voice, "Dashie sure can fly."

"Isn't that the truth," Twilight agreed in the same loud volume, "Her gravitational defiance shows a great skill and dexterity that rivals a lot of Pegasi's skills."

"Excuse me? What?" Derpy asked in a bewildered voice.

"Twilight is just talking 'egghead,'" Spike called over as the lavender Unicorn glared at the baby dragon, "She said that Rainbow Dash is a really skilled pony when it comes to flying and that she defies the laws of gravity."

"Oh, I know that, Darling," Rarity drawled as she and the rest of her friends noticed the crowd starting to listen in on their conversation, "I mean, come on. Rainbow Dash has done the legendary sonic rainboom _twice_. She is one of Equestria's national treasures."

"National treasures?" Medley scoffed as she cantered over, "Isn't that a bit much? Everypony knows that Rainbow Dash must have cheated to have accomplished such a thing."

"Pen feathers!" Applejack snapped as she stomped a hoof at the young, Pegasus pony's words, "Don't tell me tha ya have been listening ta those stupid rumors like a lot of other feather-brains. Now Ah knows tha you were at tha same camp when our Rainbow first did her sonic rainboom as a foal, Medley. Ya told me yourself over a year ago."

Medley opened her mouth and then quickly shut it as she looked down sheepishly. A lot of other ponies also began looking a bit uncomfortable before having their attention drawn back up to Rainbow Dash as she performed a particularly stunning, aerial trick.

"Yay!" Fluttershy cheered before hiding behind her mane when eyes turned towards her, "Rainbow Dash is one of my best friends and the best flier I've ever met. She could have left me in the dust back when we were foals, but she always stuck with me."

"Same here," Derpy said, "Rainbow Dash has always been there for a lot of ponies and all of you know it."

"She's awesome!" Scootaloo shouted from somewhere in the crowd, "I want to be just like Rainbow Dash when I grow up!"

The six ponies and one baby dragon smiled at one another when they noticed that Rainbow Dash's plan was working as voices began to overlap one over another telling of the different things that Rainbow Dash had accomplished in her time in town. The Ponyville ponies were getting a crash course in eating their own words.

Rainbow Dash finished her practice and took off. Her friends excused themselves to meet back up with her at Sugarcube corner as planned. Nopony noticed as a figure slunk through the shadows to follow the six ponies and one baby dragon.

"Did it work?" the rainbow-maned filly demanded as soon as her friends arrived.

"It certainly did," Twilight answered with a smile as Spike gave the young mare a thumb up, "I know that we swayed a lot of ponies today. Soon all of those silly rumors will be forgotten."

"Yes!" Rainbow Dash crowed as she got a hoof slap from Derpy and Pinkie Pie, "Wait until they get a load of me tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Applejack echoed, "Wha about tomorrow?"

"I'm going to show them the new tricks that Soarin' and Spitfire have been teaching me," Rainbow Dash bragged, "Nopony will be able to say that I don't have the stuff to be a Wonderbolt when they see me."

"Alright, Dashie!" Pinkie Pie encouraged.

"What? Why?" Twilight asked anxiously, "Rainbow Dash you have already proved yourself to everypony. The ponies of Ponyville will start talking and rebuffing the rumors which will spread across Equestria. You don't need to do anything else."

"Yes I do," the rainbow-maned pony contested as Rarity and Fluttershy listened in with unsure looks on their faces, "I've shown my flying skills, but I still want ponies to see that my skills come from hard work and _not_ cheating. I'd even like to see if I can pull off another sonic rainboom without Spitfire or Soarin' being around. That would really put a stop to the rumors."

"A sonic rainboom really would be awesome to see," Spike encouraged before shrinking back from the combined glares of Applejack and Rarity.

"I think it would be great," Derpy giggled out as her eyes spun before settling properly, "I'll try to get Setting Sun, Jet flight, Cherry Blossom, and Coffee Cake to come visit with me tomorrow. That way they can see your skills firsthand."

As the ponies continued to argue back and forth about the validity of Rainbow Dash's plan, another figure outside the window was beginning to form a plan of his own.

"You go right ahead and do your little 'show' tomorrow," the stranger gleefully thought to himself, "I will make sure you put on a great demonstration. Then we will see how much those rumors really die down. You're going down, Loyalty!"

The next day, Rainbow Dash bid her life mates goodbye and left to finish her weather duties. It felt good to have Chocolate Blueberry volunteer to work with her again.

"Finally, things are going to settle back to normal," Rainbow Dash thought to herself as she and her partner worked together to get the proper amount of rainclouds over Sweet Apple Acres to water the orchards, "After today those rumors will be gone for good."

The cyan Pegasus cheerfully waved to Chocolate Blueberry before heading back towards Ponyville. Once she arrived Rainbow Dash landed to do some warm up stretches. The rainbow-maned filly smiled when she saw her friends trotting up to join her.

"Hello," Rainbow Dash chirped as she stretched her wings.

"Are you sure about all of this?" Twilight questioned with a worried look on her face, "I still think that you don't have anything to prove to anypony."

"Its fine, Twilight," Rainbow Dash grinned out as she cantered up beside her friend, "I've got this."

"Ah still don't know about all of this showboating, but if it will give ya peace of mind then ya gots ma support," Applejack stated before winking cheekily, "Ya go get them, Rainbow."

"Just be careful," Fluttershy timidly ordered as Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Spike nodded their heads to the shy Pegasus' words.

Rainbow Dash smiled and nuzzled her friends before taking off into the sky. The cyan Pegasus noticed Derpy having lunch with her four friends at an outside café.

"Perfect," Rainbow Dash chortled to herself, "Now just you ponies watch.

First Rainbow Dash began to barrel roll before pivoting into giant corkscrew loops. Then the mare scissor winged into a hammerhead stall. The Ponyville ponies were already beginning to gather and Derpy had pointed out Rainbow Dash to her friends. Setting Sun and Jet Flight were both avidly watching with open mouths.

The rainbow-maned mare next began a solo thatch weave that ended in a tumble that Rainbow Dash pulled out of at the last moment. She then began a scissor-wing-fly-by that ended with cheers from the gathered ponies. Rainbow Dash grinned to herself as she launched into some of the special moves that her life mates had taught her.

"See?" Derpy urged as she pointed a hoof at the performing mare, "I told you that Rainbow Dash is awesome. Dumb-Bell, Hoops, and Score are just jealous."

"She is pretty cool," Coffee Cake admitted as she and Cherry Blossom gasped at a particular, nervy nosedive.

"That mare actually does have what it takes to be a Wonderbolt," Setting Sun admitted as Jet Flight shook his head in agreement.

"We will see about that," a figure thought to himself before pointing at Rainbow Dash.

Nopony noticed a small jet of light hit the cyan Pegasus. What the ponies did notice was that Rainbow Dash was suddenly flying off kilter.

"What?" Rainbow Dash thought to herself as her wings took on a life of their own, "What's going on?"

The rainbow-maned filly suddenly found herself pulled in a direction she didn't want to go. Rainbow Dash was forced through a tree top and came out the other side having to spit out leaves. Then the mare was spun in violent circles that made the cyan Pegasus feel like she had to throw up. The cheers of the crowd were beginning to change into laughter and jeers.

"Why is Rainbow Dash flying like that?" Rarity exclaimed as she watched her friend in horror.

"I don't know," Twilight fretted, "Her flying doesn't seem natural to me."  
>"Ah thought so too," Applejack agreed as she watched the cyan Pegasus anxiously, "It's almost like her wings are flying by themselves."<p>

Rainbow Dash gagged as she found herself stopping her spinning to suddenly shoot straight up into the sky so high that Ponyville looked like a tiny speck. Without so much as a warning, the rainbow-maned mare's wings snapped shut and she felt herself toppling head over hooves to the ground below. No matter how hard she tried to unfurl her wings to stop her fall, her wings wouldn't respond.

"Oh, no!" Rainbow Dash thought as she saw the ground getting closer, "Why is this happening?"

To be continued…


	5. Chapter 5

Little Uncertainties

Hi!

Long time no chapter, huh? Boy can a job get bigger than it needs to some time. My full-time job is settling down again. Yay! So I can breathe a little and get this story completed. Hope you like the chapter.

Yours truly,

rainbow-leaves

Please do not post my work on other sites. Plagiarizing is wrong.

I do not own any rights to any characters. Ever. Damn.

Chapter 5

The crowd in Ponyville that had been watching Rainbow Dash perform her more daring tricks had at first been awestruck by the Pegasus mare, but then the show took a turn towards the weird and the crowd began to hoot in laughter. Rainbow Dash's friends were staring in horror as the rainbow-maned mare spun wildly in midair. What was going on here? It looked almost as if the cyan Pegasus had lost control of her own wings.

Rainbow Dash gagged as she found herself stopping her spinning.

"Thank Celestia," the rainbow-maned mare croaked out as she tried to shake the dizziness out of her head.

Rainbow Dash suddenly found herself shooting straight up into the sky so high that Ponyville looked like a tiny speck. Without so much as a warning, the young mare's wings snapped shut and she felt herself toppling head over hooves to the ground below. No matter how hard she tried to unfurl her wings to stop her fall, her wings wouldn't respond.

"Oh, no!" Rainbow Dash thought as she saw the ground getting closer, "Why is this happening?"

The jeering crowd started to gasp and scream when they realized that the filly was really falling to her death. Many Pegasus stallions and mares alike opened their wings to see if they could help, but all present knew it would be a useless effort. Nopony was going to be able to reach Rainbow Dash in time.

"Twilight, catch Rainbow with ya magic," Applejack urgently ordered as her eyes stayed glued to her friend's falling form.

"I can't catch her," Twilight cried in horror, "She's falling too fast."

"NO! Dashie!" Pinkie Pie screamed before gasping in surprise with everypony else when a giant thunderclap boomed in the sky.

The crowd of ponies' mouths all dropped open when two contrails, shooting lightning, streaked through the sky and flew at sonic speed towards the falling mare. It was Soarin' and Spitfire. The two Wonderbolts zoomed below their falling life mate. Together the two Pegasi caught Rainbow Dash between them and beat their wings violently to slow the filly's momentum. Soarin' and Spitfire were able to land roughly in the middle of Ponyville with a shaken Rainbow Dash. The young mare sank down to the ground once she felt firm earth beneath her hooves.

"Baby! Are you okay?" Soarin' demanded as he threw himself beside his youngest life mate.

Rainbow Dash nodded numbly before burying her face in the stallion's neck. Spitfire shook in anxiety over what had just occurred. The golden Pegasus dropped down beside the rainbow-maned mare and pulled her into a tight hug.

"What in the world, Little One?" Spitfire breathed out into her youngest life mate's mane, "What happened? How did you fall?"

Rainbow Dash shook her head without speaking. Her friends pushed through the gathered crowd to get to the cyan Pegasus' side.

"Rainbow Dash!" Rarity gasped out as she and the others surrounded the Triad, "Darling, what happened?"

"I don't know," Rainbow Dash said in confusion as she looked up at her friends, "I was in the middle of doing the new trick that I learned and then my wings just took off on their own. I felt like a puppet on a string."

"New trick?" Soarin' growled as Spitfire's face turned stern, "What new trick?"

Rainbow Dash froze at her life mate's tone. The young mare knew that she was in trouble now. The cyan Pegasus had promised both Soarin' and Spitfire that she would not attempt any Wonderbolt stunts without her two life mates being there in case something went wrong.

"Um…uh…" Rainbow Dash stuttered out.

"You were doing the new tricks that Soarin' and I taught you, weren't you?" Spitfire demanded as she assisted her life mates in standing back up.

"Yes, but…" Rainbow Dash began before Spitfire interrupted her.

"You promised, Rainbow Dash," Spitfire snapped angrily, "You swore to Soarin' and I that you wouldn't do those tricks without us near. You could have been killed!"

"I didn't fall because of doing those tricks," Rainbow Dash countered as she began to get defensive, "Something else made me fall."

"Baby, how could you?" Soarin' moaned as he shook his head sadly, "Spitfire and I trusted you to listen to us. You are so grounded. No flying for you until you can be trusted again."

"I'm trying to tell you that _something_ made me fall," Rainbow Dash argued as she got angry.

"We know why you fell, Rainbow _Crash_," a familiar voice shouted from the back of the crowd.

Hoops shoved through the surrounding ponies with his two friends following behind him. The three had come to Ponyville to see Rainbow Dash practice since they had heard about the great show that their arch nemesis had put on the day before.

"It's just like all the rumors said…" Hoops crowed triumphantly as most of the ponies in the crowd shook their heads in agreement, "…you don't really have much of any kind of talent so you get by on your life mates' reputation. You couldn't handle doing those tricks and now you are making up lies because you think everypony will buy them."

Rainbow Dash drew herself up and glared angrily at Hoops, Dumb-Bell, and Score while Soarin' and Spitfire exchanged confused glances with one another.

"Shut up," the rainbow-maned pony ground out, "I can fly circles around any pony here. I am telling everypony that something weird just happened to me. I couldn't control my wings."

"A likely story," Jet Flight yelled out from the crowd, "Just admit that you screwed up already. We all watched what happened."

"Stop this right now," Spitfire called out in her captain's voice as all present turned to look at the golden Pegasus, "Soarin' and I may not know exactly what rumors you all are talking about, but it sounds like nothing nice. Rainbow Dash's skills are very impressive and she has been on The Wonderbolts' list of potential Wonderbolt candidates even before the three of us ever bonded."

"Back off," Soarin' ordered as he stared down the three stooge-stallions, "There is nothing more to see here. Go about your business. Shoo!"

Most of the crowd picked up on the stallion's anger and scattered. Rainbow Dash hung her head as her friends gathered around her.

"See?" Twilight exclaimed, "I knew something bad would happen from showing off like this."

"Leave me alone," Rainbow Dash breathed as she hid her face by allowing her mane to fall over her eyes.

"Ya shoulda listened to Twilight, Fluttershy, and I," Applejack began to lecture, "Ah knew this was a bad idea."

"I think that I am going to have to agree with them this time, Darling," Rarity cajoled as Pinkie Pie nodded her head sadly, "You could have been killed."

"Stop," Soarin' dictated as he put himself between his life mate and her friends, "This is something that the Triad needs to deal with right now. Please just go home."

"I don't need you talking for me," Rainbow Dash groused as she looked up at the gathered ponies and baby dragon to show that her eyes were filling with tears, "I am not a foal. None of you have any right to talk to me as if I was a child!"

"Calm down, Little One," Spitfire gently said as she came up beside her youngest life mate, "We were just all really worried about you."

"So that gives you the right to treat me like a baby?" Rainbow Dash snapped angrily as she backed away from her life mates and friends, "None of you have any right to order me around like I am some foal in nursery school."

"Well, obviously ya do," Applejack groused back at her irate friend, "Just look at wha happened. If your life mates hadn't of shown up then ya would be a mighty flat Rainbow."

"I knew something like this might happen," Twilight groaned, "Showing off always tends to lead to bad things. I just don't understand…"

"Shut up! I know how to fly. My cutie mark shows that flying is my talent and I had everything under control until whatever caused me to fall. And as for you…" Rainbow Dash growled as she turned on her two startled life mates, "How dare you talk about 'grounding' me. I am your life mate and not your daughter. I have every right to make decision for myself!"

Rainbow Dash turned and took off into the sky as fast as she could and was a speck in the sky in no time. Soarin' and Spitfire immediately took off after their life mate. The rest of the group looked uneasily at one another.

"I wasn't trying to upset her," Twilight began as she watched the three Pegasi disappear from sight, "I was just scared of losing a friend."

"We all were," Applejack agreed, "Ah still think tha Rainbow shoulda left well enough alone."

"Rainbow Dash can never leave anything alone," Fluttershy sighed out sadly as guilt pricked at her heart, "She stepped up to defend me when other ponies made fun of me as a little filly. Rainbow Dash has always had a strong sense of right and wrong in her. I…I should have supported her better when those stupid rumors started."

"Now everypony is just going to spread even worse rumors than before because of what happened," Pinkie Pie lamented.

The group all sighed sadly and looked at one another at a loss. What should they do now? How could they make all of this up to their friend?

"Well, something was absolutely controlling Rainbow Dash," Twilight stated as her natural leadership abilities kicked in, "Now that I think about it, it must have been magic by nature."

"I agree, Darling," Rarity offered, "Only a form of magic could have made a Pegasus lose control of his or her wings. Do you know of a spell that can do something like that, Twilight?"

"Yes I do," Twilight answered, "But that is a spell that can only be done at close range by a powerful magic-user."

"So tha means tha tha culprit had ta have been close by," Applejack declared with wide eyes, "Let's split up and search tha area. Maybe this 'magic-user' left us a clue."

The group all nodded at the Earth pony and took off to search. Meanwhile, Soarin' and Spitfire had chased their youngest life mate all the way back to their home.

"Baby, wait," Soarin' called after Rainbow Dash as he and Spitfire hurried after the younger mare, "Look, I know that you are upset, but…"

"You 'know' that I am upset?" Rainbow Dash interrupted as she spun to glare at her life mates in the living room, "You know what it feels like to be always be doubted by your colleagues, your friends, and your family? And then after nearly falling to my death to then be told that I was _grounded_? You are _not_ my parents! I had a great Daddy and a great Mama and I love you two, but you can never replace them."

"We know that we aren't your parents and we are not trying to replace them" Spitfire cajoled as she tried to soothe her irate life mate, "You just scared the two of us to death when we saw you falling and then we hear that you broke your promise to us. Rainbow Dash, you swore to us that you wouldn't do those tricks without us there."

"I know," Rainbow Dash whispered as she looked down, "I…I was planning on doing just that one trick that you said I had nailed. I only wanted ponies to see what I could do."

"So you risk your life to show off for ponies without any kind of safeties set up?" Soarin' groaned in frustration, "Baby, we could have lost you today!"

"You and Spitfire go and do very dangerous stunts all the time. Hay! We nearly lost Spitfire because of a flying accident!" Rainbow Dash growled out as she stood her ground, "I have the right to make my own decisions and I want to be a Wonderbolt just like you two one day. I want to make the team and not have any ponies saying I made the team because of being a part of the Triad. I want everypony to _trust_ in me."

"How can anypony trust in you when you can't even keep a promise to your two life mates?" Spitfire snapped out only to reel back at her own words and look of hurt on the younger mare's face.

Rainbow Dash gasped in horror before tearing off into her old bedroom. Soarin' galloped after the young mare and just caught a glimpse of the filly leaping out of the bedroom window. A golden form launched itself at the window.

"Come on," Spitfire called out as she took off after the mare.

Soarin' quickly caught up with his golden life mate. Her expression looked stricken.

"I didn't mean what I said," Spitfire puffed out as she followed the form of their youngest life mate.

"I know," Soarin' agreed, "None of this feels right to me. It feels almost as if something is…is…trying to build a wall between all of us and Rainbow Dash."

The two Pegasi grew silent and simply pondered this last thought as they tried to keep up with their youngest life mate.

To be continued...


	6. Chapter 6

Little Uncertainties

Dear Readers,

Long time no update, huh? I have moved into the mountains and cannot be happier. It has taken some time to relocate and settle into my new job duties, but now I'm back. I will be updating this story as quickly as I can. Thank you for your patience and dedication.

I hope you enjoy the new chapter.

Yours truly,

rainbow-leaves

Please do not post my work on other sites. Plagiarizing is wrong.

I do not own any rights to any characters. Ever. Damn.

Chapter 6

Applejack kept her keen eyes peeled as she searched the surrounding area of the part of Ponyville that Rainbow Dash had practiced over, but no matter how much she looked she found no clue to anything being out of place. This was beyond frustrating!

"All Ah see is ah bunch of hoof prints," the orange mare groaned to herself as she continued to search the ground for clues, "If there was a powerful magic-user here, and he or she was a pony, then how in tarnation are we goin' to tell one hoof mark from another?"

"Anything?" a voice asked from behind Applejack making the Earth pony jump in surprise to find Twilight Sparkle and most of the rest of her friends cantering up with hopeful looks on their faces.

"Nope," Applejack denied as she shook her mane in frustration before settling her hat more firmly upon her head and stamping a hoof in frustration, "Ah don't see anythin' suspicious, Sugar Cube."

"We didn't find anything either, Darling," Rarity agreed as Fluttershy hurried up to the group and squeaked out a soft "excuse me."

"Doesn't magic leave some kind of mark after it's been used?" Pinkie Pie questioned the two Unicorns as Fluttershy tried again to get her friends' attention with a slightly louder "excuse me," "I mean…don't you sometime leave what looks like scorch marks when you do spells, Twilight?"

"I have _only_ left one scorch mark before and that is only when I have messed up a spell. Magic usually doesn't leave any kind of lasting mark," the blushing, lavender Unicorn explained as Fluttershy took to waving her hooves wildly in the air and getting her bird friends to whistle loudly around her, "Only a really powerful spell might leave a bit of magic remnants in the air, but there should be some kind of a clue left by his or her tracks."

"Tha's tha problem, Twilight," Applejack interjected as Fluttershy held up a sign that read "Please listen to me!," "Tha tracks woulda been a hoof print and there are a ton of hoof prints around here. Hay! Tha whole town seemed ta turn out ta watch our Rainbow. Which hoof print leads to tha culprit?"

"Maybe we can track each hoof print to each pony that was here?" Pinkie Pie suggested as she seemed to mysteriously pull a slice of apple pie out of thin air and gobbled it down in two bites.

"We couldn't possibly track down every pony, Pinkie Pie," Rarity disagreed as Fluttershy took a deep breath, "Why that would take ages and…"

"EXCUSE ME!" Fluttershy bellowed at the top of her lungs making her friends fall back on their haunches and twist in shock to stare at their usually timid friend.

"Um…yes, Fluttershy?" Twilight meekly asked.

"Oh…uh…well, there are some tracks over here that I found that seem a little odd to me," Fluttershy offered as she withdrew behind her long, pink mane, "I was trying to tell you, but you were all so busy talking that you didn't hear me and then I yelled to get your attention. I so hope that you don't mind that I yelled. I didn't hurt your feelings, did I? Oh, please tell me that I didn't hurt your feelings or…or…your ears. Did I hurt your _ears_? I'm so sorry!"

"Our feelings and ears are fine, Fluttershy," Twilight assured, "Please, show us the tracks."

The yellow Pegasus led the group over to a group of bushes and pointed out the odd tracks. The group of friends all examined the prints and looked at one another in confusion. What was _this_?

"Tha tracks are goin' in tha same direction tha Rainbow Dash went," Applejack pointed out, "Let's follow. Maybe we can catch the magic-user if he or she is tryin' ta do somethin' ta Rainbow Dash again."

The friends all looked at one another in alarm and tore off to follow the tracks. Nopony was going to hurt their friend if they had anything to say about it.

Meanwhile a shadowy figure had been stealthily making its way after the Element of Loyalty once the rainbow-maned Pegasus and her life mates had taken off from their cloud home. He had placed a spying spell on Rainbow Dash earlier and had been able to hear everything the Triad had said.

"The plan could not have turned out any better"

"What plan?"

"Gah! The plan to get the Loyalty Brat to feel isolated and alone."

"That doesn't sound very pleasant."

"What doesn't?"

"Feeling isolated and alone. It kind of sounds like what it has been like ever since _he_ left."

"Would you shut up!"

"You shut up."

"Stop. We've got to go."

"Go where? Back to the Everfree Forest? The blackberries should be ripe by now and you _know_ how much I love blackberries. Let's go."

"No, you idiot. We are going after the Loyalty Brat. It is time for the finishing touches of the plan."

"What's the finishing touches of the plan?"

"You'll see!"

"But...the blackberries."

"Shut up about the blackberries!"

With this final parting comment the figure took off on all fours to race in the direction that Rainbow Dash disappeared towards. Finally it was time to bring _him_ back. Now _he_ would see what great help an assistant could bring.

Meanwhile Rainbow Dash had finally lost her two life mates in the clouds and glided down to have a nice sulk under the cover of a nice, shade tree. The rainbow-maned pony tried to settle down to calm herself, but instead found herself furiously pacing back and forth.

"How dare they!" Rainbow Dash spat out as she paced, "Who do those two think they are? I…I can fly circles around most of the new Wonderbolt trainees and Spitfire and Soarin' know it! I am Rainbow Dash! I can do whatever I want to do! It's my life and I get to make my own decisions!"

The young mare stopped and angrily blew some of her forelock out of her eyes.

"This isn't fair!" Rainbow Dash groaned out as she allowed gravity to pull her down into the soft grass, "I've worked so hard to prove myself. Why can't anypony trust me?"

The cyan Pegasus laid her head down on her forelegs sadly and gazed into the waning afternoon sun. A nagging twinge in her heart was bothering Rainbow Dash as the mare replayed Spitfire's words over and over again in her head.

"How can anypony trust you if you can't keep a promise to your two lifemates?"

"I didn't plan on lying," Rainbow Dash said aloud to herself as she flipped over to look at bits of the sky through the branches of the shade tree, "I…I just wanted the rumors to stop. I wanted ponies to see me for who I am."

"So…who are you?" a strange voice demanded from behind the rainbow-maned mare making Rainbow Dash jump to her hooves in alarm and spin around.

A small, cloaked form stood before her. Rainbow Dash knew immediately that the creature was not a pony and it seemed to be standing on two legs like Spike stood, but he or she was smaller than Spike by several inches. The hood and cloak obscured any features so the mare could not figure out what type of creature that was speaking to her.

"Who are you?" Rainbow Dash asked as she tried to hide her nervousness.

"Isn't that what I asked you?" the creature asked as he or she chuckled softly, "I just happened to overhear you and was curious. So…here I am to ask you again, who are you?"

The Pegasus mare relaxed a little and giggled. This creature didn't seem to be so bad, a little strange, but not bad.

"I'm Rainbow Dash the best flier in Equestria," Rainbow Dash boasted as she puffed her chest out.

"Rainbow Dash? Rainbow Dash?" the creature said thoughtfully to itself before turning it's hooded head in the mare's direction, "Aren't you Rainbow Dash the Element of Loyalty?"

"Yep!" the young mare happily agreed.

"The very Pegasus that won the Best Young Flier competition?"

"Yep!"

"The Pegasus that saved The Wonderbolts?"

"Yep!"

"The only Pegasus in the world who can do a sonic rainboom?"

"You've got that right!"

"Wow!" the strange creature breathed out, "I'm in the presence of a great Pegasus."

"No. Not really," Rainbow Dash quipped before drawing herself up proudly, "Okay. Maybe I _am_ a little great."

"A little?" the creature gasped out as if in shock and awe.

"Okay. Okay," Rainbow Dash agreed as her ego got the better of her, "I am _pretty_ great."

"So what is such a great pony doing all the way out here?" the hooded figure inquired, "Shouldn't you be with your friends or maybe even with your…what were they called? Oh…yes, why aren't you with your life mates?"

"My life mates?" Rainbow Dash started in confusion, "How did you know about them? Who are you?"

"Oh, my deepest pardons, Rainbow Dash. I am just a lone traveler," the stranger explained, "I have always been interested in the Elements of Harmony so I know a little bit about you and your friends. Plus, I have been hearing some rather unnecessary rumors about you lately and have made it a point to learn a little more about you."

"So you've heard those rumors as well?" the rainbow-maned Pegasus growled, "Well they aren't true! I would never…"

"Use your life mates to get ahead?" the stranger asked, "Why any fool who knew you would totally understand that you would never do such a thing. You are only one of the most loyal ponies in Equestria."

"Yeah!" Rainbow Dash stated as she stamped a hoof on the ground, "I just wish more ponies believed the truth."

"So ponies in Equestria actually believe these blasphemous lies?" the stranger questioned in an amazed tone.

"Yeah," the cyan Pegasus sighed out as she looked sadly at the ground.

"How dare they!" the stranger intoned angrily, "Why you are just too good for them!"

"Huh? What?" Rainbow Dash gasped out as she looked at the stranger in amazement.

"Equestria just does not deserve such a _loyal_ and _wonderful_ Pegasus as yourself," the stranger coaxed, "You should be worshipped for your bravery…your loyalty… and your abilities."

"You really think so?" Rainbow Dash hesitantly asked.

"Of course!" the stranger stated emphatically, "You should be treated with respect. And of course your life mates and your friends have probably stood up for you and showed you the respect you deserve."

Rainbow Dash winced a bit and then let out a sigh.

"Are you kidding me?" the hooded figure gasped out in apparent amazement, "They haven't?"

"Well…not exactly," Rainbow Dash hedged uncomfortably.

"Why not?" the stranger demanded, "Haven't you always been there for them? Haven't you put others first even when you wanted to do something else?"

"Yes, but…" the cyan Pegasus began before being cut off.

"I cannot believe with all you have done for your friends, your life mates, and Equestria that you have not been treated with more respect. This is a terrible treatment for such a wonderful pony as yourself," the stranger angrily voiced.

Rainbow Dash gaped openly at the hooded traveler as she let it's words sink into her mind. The more she thought about it, the more angry she was becoming. She _should_ be treated with more respect. As anger built up within her heart several familiar voices called out to her. The cyan Pegasus turned and saw her friends galloping in her direction as her two life mates landed nearby. Rainbow Dash straightened her posture and moved rigidly forward as her new "cheerleader" moved to stand stiffly beside her.

"We need to talk," everypony stated at the exact same time.

To be continued…


	7. Chapter 7

**Hi Bronies and Pegasisters!**

**Long time no read, huh?**

**Boy did life go nuts! I got a great job that had me traveling all over the place. No time to even watch television. No, seriously! I haven't watched tv in nearly two years. I'm going to have to catch up on MLP and have every intentions of finishing this story. **

**Good grief was my schedule hectic, but now I'm back! Maybe some don't care. That's okay. I'd feel kind of irritated if a writer just up and had to stop writing suddenly too. Never my intentions, but life hands you a lot of stuff sometimes that is overwhelming. Give me a moment to catch up on MLP so that I can finish this story.**

**Write for you soon!**

**Love,**

**Me**

**P.S.**

**Rainbow Dash is still my ultimate favorite pony, but Spitfire and Soarin' are galloping right behind her. Be well! **


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